Panty girdle



July 16, 1963 H. M. LEHMAN 3,097,651

PANTY GIRDLE Filed April 14, 1961 United States Patent 01 3,097,651 PANTY GIRDLE Howard M. Lehman, 411 S. Sangamon St., Glencoe, Ill. Filed Apr. 14, 1961, Ser. No. 103,030 1 Claim. (Cl. 128--526) This invention relates to improvements in undergarments and is more particularly concerned with the type of garment known as a pauty girdle; and which embodies a body portion and a crotch portion, the latter being permanently attached atone end to the body portion, but may be easily detached from the body portion at one end thereof.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel construction for the crotch portion of an undergarment.

Another object is to provide an improved type of undergarment wherein the crotch portion is attached to the body of the garment fixedly at one of its ends and carries attaching means on its other end arranged to cooperate with complemental means on the body of the garment for securing the crotch portion place when the garment is being worn.

Another object is to provide a party girdle type garment with a displaceable crotch portion and elastic means that is extended into the crotch portion so as to cause the leg portions of the garment to embrace the thighs snugly.

Another object of the invention is to provide a garment of the character referred to which is not expensive or difficult to manufacture, is comfortable to wear and very satisfactory in its use.

With the foregoing and such other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claim, it being understood that various changes in forms, proportion, size and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, in which the same characters of reference are employed to identify corresponding parts:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an undergarment embodying the features of the invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view of the front of the garment, showing the crotch portion partially detached.

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2', showing the crotch portion detached or in open position, and omitthe front part of the garment, so as to illustrate the secure-ment of the rear edge of the crotch portion to the body portion.

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3, showing the crotch portion in flattened condition to best illustrate the true configuration thereof.

With reference to the accompanying drawings and particularly to FIGURE 1, the garment 11 illustrated is of a type referred to as a pantry girdle, and it may include an arrangement of three or more panels 12*13, sewn together in a manner well-known in the art, and some or all of which, such as, for example, panels 12 are resiliently stretchable in one or more directions to adapt the body of the garment to embrace the wearer snugly. 'I he garment includes leg portions generally indicated at 14, each of which is comprised of portions of the panels 1213 that embrace a substantial portion of the thighs and a crotch portion 15 that embraces the inner sides of the thighs.

As best shown in FIGURE 4, the crotch portion 15 is comprised of a substantially square piece 16 of soft non- 3,097,651 Patented July 16, 1963 stretchable fabric secured permanently along one of its slightly areuate edges to the corresponding contoured bottom edge of the back panel 13 of the body portion, as by stitches 17. This connection is sewn so as to prevent separation of the crotch portion from the body of the garment. The opposed free edge 18 of the crotch portion 15 is substantially straight, and it has stitched or otherwise secured therein firmly, as at 19, the stringer 21 of a slide fastener element 22.

The complemental slide fastener element 23 has its stringer 24 attached to the bottom free edge of the front portion of the garment (as shown in FIGURE 2) as by stitches 25. A protective flap 26 is stitched to the front portion of the garment and it underlies slide fastener element 23, so has to protect the thighs from chafing, pinching, abrasion or scratching by the said slide fastener device either when in closed condition or when opening or closing the same.

The garment also includes an elastic strap 27 that is, attached as by stitching 28 to the bottom edge of the garment body leg portions, and which extends along the side edges of crotch portion 15 and is sewn thereto, as by stitches 29. When the crotch portion is in closed or attached position, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, its attached edges assume a curved or contoured V-shaped configuration to conform to the contour of the body and thighs and the elastic strap 27 embraces the thighs and thus minimizes creeping, particularly during movement of the wearer. The usual garter strap-s 31 may be attached to the elastic strap 27 or be otherwise secured to the garment.

The garment is highly useful and produces by reason of its mode of construction and assembly an extremely light weight form fitting garment which is devoid of the usual devices such as buckles or snaps for securing the back end of the crotch portion to the garment, and the garment is provided with an unbroken or uninterrupted continuity of elastic completely surrounding the thighs, thus alfording a garment that is more comfortable to wear and which will not creep.

As many possible embodiments may be made in the invention, and as many changes might be made in the embodiments hereinabove set forth, it is to be understood that all matters described herein or shown in the accompanying drawings are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is the following:

A panty girdle comprising a tubular body portion and depending thigh portions each having front and back edges defining a substantially V-shaped open crotch, a substantially square crotch portion, stitches securing one edge of said crotch portion to the back edges of said open crotch, a slide fastener element secured to the front edge of said open crotch, a complemental slide fastener element secured to the opposed edge of the crotch portion, and an elastic strap sewn to the free bottom edge of the thigh portions and terminating at the attached slide fastener components and extending along opposed side edges of the crotch portion, said crotch portion being adapted in attached position to define with each thigh portion a complete thigh embracing portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,477,593 Gershenow Aug. 2, 1949 2,661,002 Silverman Dec. 1, 1953 2,779,023 Lax Jan. 29, 1957 

